Tell me you skipped the first 4 songs before saying that. I feel like those things were kinda forced into the album, like Demi only wanted to put them there from public (and perhaps, "professional") pressure.

As many have said, once you get passed the first 4 songs, for the most part, the 9 songs following them are really great songs. Demi still has the best voice of any Disney star in recent memory. It's a straightforward pop record with a mixture of upbeat songs and ballads. Demi's vocals are what really make the record standout, everything else can be found on any female pop album.

I wrote a review on YouTube about this record, and you pretty much summed up my feelings about this album. There were a few things I disagreed with you on however. I liked All Night Long: I thought the production and beat were really good, even if the lyrics and subject matter were kind of "been there, done that". I don't care that it doesn't fit the overall sound. However, the next three tracks rubbed me the wrong way, because they seemed like three afterthought collaborations that existed only to attract top 40 attention. This is ESPECIALLY true with Who's That Boy; it reminded me of those old JoJo songs from the early 2000s that did the trick back then, but just comes off as hilarious white-girl gangsta-posin' today. Also, the chord progression and collaborations on You're My Only Shorty reminded me way too much of Justin Bieber's "Baby" to really take it seriously as a pop song. Finally, the track "Hold Up" screams filler track to me. Evidence? She uses the same line "Go Run Run Run" that she says in Skyscraper, which screams shoddy songwriting to me.

However, overall, I enjoyed this album. It is probably the best-produced record that Disney (Hollywood Records is the Disney Record Label) has ever made, probably because they wanted to save their best for the best vocalist that they have to offer. Tracks like Lightweight, Unbroken, Fix A Heart, Skyscraper, Mistake, In Real Life, and My Love Is Like A Star show off the emotional and powerful vocal delivery that was masked in her previous album. To be honest, until this album, the only time she has ever shown her true vocal ability in the studio was in songs like "Every Time You Lie" or "Catch Me" ("Every Time You Lie" should have been saved for this record. Fits the R&B vibe of her album like a glove, unlike, say, Who's That Boy). The rest of the time, Disney tried to mold her as this wannabe Hayley Williams figure for teeny-boppers, while she was covering stuff like Christina Aguilera's "Mercy On Me" in her spare time (Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y0skpPNXB0). She is someone that should've been in the R&B genre for a LONG time, and I'm happy to see that she is finally taking steps toward making that happen for her.

It should therefore come as no surprise then that my favorite tracks on the album were Lightweight, In Real Life, and My Love Is Like A Star. These songs, more so than even Skyscraper (that song only really showcased one difficult G5 belt at the end of the song), showcase her vocal range and delivery that the other songs fail to do. For example, in My Love Is Like A Star, she finally shows the world that she has a head voice (up to a C6 in the song) and can add vibrato to her belts (up to an F5 in this song), something that she does frequently live but was restrained from doing so in the studio. Critics of her vocal delivery often claim that her belts come off as screaming/yelling (probably because Disney wanted her to be the rock chick, and was trained to belt this way accordingly), but this album, for the most part, gives a bigger picture of her belting capabilities.

Overall, I gave a decent to strong 6/10 for the album, not factoring Demi's vocal delivery. Factoring her voice in, I gave it a light 7/10 (72% in AbsolutePunk scale?), because it's REALLY good (She has amazing power and range compared to most ARTISTS today, let alone for a 19-year-old. I mean, vocally, she's almost Kelly Clarkson in-her-prime good, and she has so much more vocal potential than this. I'm the absolute last thing for a Disney fan, but she is an insanely talented singer that shouldn't be anywhere near the Disney posse.)

I liked All Night Long: I thought the production and beat were really good, even if the lyrics and subject matter were kind of "been there, done that". I don't care that it doesn't fit the overall sound. However, the next three tracks rubbed me the wrong way, because they seemed like three afterthought collaborations that existed only to attract top 40 attention.

Genuine question, how was All Night Long not top 40 fodder as well? What to you made it different? From what you said you seemed to ignore the fact that it in no way fit within the theme of the album (which to me indicated that it was thrown in there like the other three) just because you liked it. It could be a good song and still thrown in for a top 40 hit. Not all top 40 hits suck. I'm genuinely interested in your opinion there.

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Finally, the track "Hold Up" screams filler track to me. Evidence? She uses the same line "Go Run Run Run" that she says in Skyscraper, which screams shoddy songwriting to me.

But both of those songs were written by different people...

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However, overall, I enjoyed this album. It is probably the best-produced record that Disney (Hollywood Records is the Disney Record Label) has ever made, probably because they wanted to save their best for the best vocalist that they have to offer. The rest of the time, Disney tried to mold her as this wannabe Hayley Williams figure for teeny-boppers, while she was covering stuff like Christina Aguilera's "Mercy On Me" in her spare time (Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y0skpPNXB0).

I completely disagree with this. This is just personal opinion because it's just how I perceive it and I have nothing to back it up with, but I always get the feeling like Disney would've preferred Demi to go the Selena or Miley route and haven't given her as much support. Just from interviews Demi used to give about them saying her lyrics were too "dark" for her fans or whatever. I feel like Disney doesn't give her priority in anything, and never really have. It feels like she was less marketed than her peers.

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I'm the absolute last thing for a Disney fan, but she is an insanely talented singer that shouldn't be anywhere near the Disney posse.)

I disagree. I think Disney was a good launching pad for her, and if she can break out then I hope she can have a career like Christina during her prime. But not all Disney artists suck, and it was a good career launcher for her. It helped people like Christina, Britney, Justin Timberlake (ew), Hillary Duff, Miley, all people who didn't completely suck and had good music (minus solo JT, but I know I'm in the minority so I'll give him that). Don't totally knock it.

Yeah these tryhard club bangers are so ridiculously out of place. Other than that, I dig the power pop guitar side of her in songs like "Remember December" and "Don't Forget" and hoping I hear more of it (currently listening on YouTube)...

So yeah, after a few spins, there is ZERO rock in this album, which I find disappointing especially after her surprisingly good last album. Apart from the first three tracks, it's mostly straightforward pop with slight dance-pop and RnB influences. Venturing into this new territory it's more of a hit-and-miss affair.

I actually like the first two tracks as pop songs, they just don't fit Demi. The song with Iyaz is just embarrassing, and the Jason Derulo one is just boring and a wasted opportunity.

Hands down the centerpiece of this album is Skyscraper, where Demi's vocal is just incredible. It was actually recorded before Demi went to rehab and she was still in the midst of all her turmoil, and it definitely shows. She tried to re-record it after rehab but couldn't recapture the same emotion, so decided to go with the first vocal.

Other highlights for me are Fix a Heart, and Give Your Heart a Break, and For the Love of a Daughter. Without the soaring pop rock hooks to showcase her range, most of her vocal chops are shown off in the ballads instead.